Spain captain Sergio Ramos risked creating tensions with his national teammates over Catalonia's independence drive when he said Thursday the Spanish king's TV address was "impeccable".

King Felipe VI's speech on Tuesday dismayed many Catalans as he described the separatist ambitions as "illegal" and made no mention of those hurt in police violence when they tried to vote in the banned weekend referendum.

Real Madrid veteran Ramos said he believed the king's speech had been "necessary for all Spanish people".

"I take my hat off to him," Ramos said at a press conference on the eve of his country's World Cup qualifier against Albania.

"Despite the fact he supports Atletico Madrid, I like the king," Ramos said, referring to Real's arch cross-city rivals.

FC Barcelona and their captain Andres Iniesta on Thursday urged dialogue to resolve the increasingly volatile political crisis over Catalonia's drive for independence.